Vision for the library service in Parklands

Opening on Saturday 6 August 2005, the new Parklands library service will make quality book and electronic resources available to the Parklands community. Library services will be delivered from a space that is flexible, adaptive, stimulating and dynamic. The 500 square metre library building, located alongside the retail community, will have a modern interior design combining the best features of retail and library environments.

Customers will be able to use computers, read, meet friends (on-line, or in-person over coffee), attend special programmes and events, listen to music, and borrow books, magazines, CDs, DVDs and videos. Children and youth of all ages will receive excellent homework and study support in an environment designed with their needs in mind. Energy for learning and creativity will be stimulated through the provision of an exciting indoor and outdoor environment as the site provides scope for excellent indoor / outdoor flow. A garden will be designed to reflect the special physical features of the area and there will also be an opportunity to create a community garden.

Flexible and creative use of space will ensure that the best use will be made of all of the resources. Books, furniture and computers will be displayed and grouped to meet the needs of different groups of customers at different times of the day and week. Staff will be roving and communicating with customers on a friendly and helpful level. Service will be focused on connecting people with ideas and information, and on connecting people with other people. Self help and self service will enable customers to issue their own items, use computers to connect with the world and do things in their own time and their own way.

Adult customers might visit to use computers and email friends and family, find information, or read the newspaper on-line. Some will read the paper version of the Press, others will choose books to borrow - the popular collection of fiction, bestsellers and paperbacks, biographies, magazines, CDs, DVDs and lifestyle non-fiction will change regularly. Some will meet friends over a cup of coffee. There will be opportunities for individual and collaborative learning using computer hardware and software, and other technology such as video. Guest speakers will talk on topics of interest to the community, the morning book group will meet monthly, and council officers, elected members and community workers will use the space as a point of contact with the community.

Several times a week the focus will be on pre school children. The environment will change - by pulling down colourful screens, exchanging adult chairs for beanbags, cushions and little chairs, altering the lighting, and turning round the shelves and pulling out the picture book bins. Parents and caregivers will feel relaxed and able to enjoy their visit. Story reading, rhyme, music and movement will be part of the experience. The environment will be accessible, safe and stimulating.

After school the space will be transformed into study zone with the staff focusing expressly on helping with information retrieval using all available resources. Using colourful wall blinds, headphones, video wall, bean bags and lap-top computers - this will be a knowledge shop that children and youth will want to visit.

Saturdays will be particularly great for those who commute to the city centre during the week. This will be the day for a relaxed environment, high interest, low stress. Coffee, computers, self paced e-learning, combined with books and music.

Parklands Library will be a dynamic environment. It will be pull down, push out, stack and turn around, switch on... all designed to meet the diverse needs of the Parklands community. It will be a light and bright, and a fantastic place to visit.

Exterior and interior views of the existing building